HUNTLY MINE DISASTER

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2274, 7 October 1914, Page 7

HUNTLY MINE DISASTER

'A DIFFIDENT WITNESS. (By Telegrapi— Press Association.) Auckland, October 6. The Commission of Inquiry into the fatal oxplosioii at Ralph's lime, Huntly, on Septembor 12, heard further evidence to-day. A map named Young who declined to givo evidence until subpoenaed, declared that during tho time ho was assistant examiner lie found a large acoumulation of dangorous gas. Ho considered the mino unsafe during this time, and presently left it, and took other employment. Ho did not report every discovery of gas to Ms superiors, and did not toll the manager ot his discovery on one occasion of what he estimated to te 33,000 cubic feet of gas. Severely cross-examined, he indicated that lio was afraid to report the discoveries of gas to the principnl officers. A numbor of witnesses testified to having observed accumulations of gas in tho mine on several occasions. "William Wood, manager of the Extended Mino, at Huntly, said that from the position of the body of Martin, who is believed , to have caused the-explo-sion, Martin had evidently opened a door leading into the old workings, and his naked light immediately ignited tho accumulation of gas there, which in turn ignited tho coal <dust. The Commission then, adjourned, until to-morrow. TRADES HALL FUND. The joint secretaries of the Trades Hall Relief Fund, Messrs. L. M. A. Eearden and J. Read, ncknoivledgo the following donations: — £ s. d. Previously acknowledged ... 710 4 H Painters' Union (Ist instalment) 5 0 0 Employees of Messrs. J. J. Niven and Co., Ltd.... 3 4 6 Christclvurch Stage Employees' Union 2 2 0 P. O'Noill 0 10 0 Collection .' 0 6 8 Total ...„ 721 8 1 "THE DOMINION" RELIEF FUND. A fund for the relief of sufferers in tho Huntly disaster is now open at The Dominion Office. We have to acknowledge the following donations:— £ 8. d. Previously acknowledged .... 29 12 0 "S.P.R." ..: 0 10 0 Total ... 30 2 0